Xenosaga: Guardian Angel
by Tiger5913
Summary: She risked her life to save her companions he risked his duty to save her. [chaos x KOSMOS warning: spoilers for the ending of Xenosaga I]


2/25/05

Disclaimer: the characters in this story such as chaos, KOS-MOS, etc. don't belong to me; they are property of Namco. If I owned the game, I think everyone would throw up at all the mushy romance. :P

Dedications: God, my parents, my friends, Namco for making this greatly addicting and beautiful cutscene-filled RPG, and all of you lovely readers!

Special dedication to: my dear little cousin Tony, for his adoration of chaos, and our dual love of chaos x KOS-MOS.

**Xenosaga: Guardian Angel**

**By Tiger5913**

As he watched her leave, a pang tugged at his heart.

This wouldn't be the first time that the android had put her own safety at a dangerous risk to save everyone else. In fact, she had just returned from the crumbling Proto Merkabah after getting barely pulled onto the Elsa at the last second, and now she was heading into danger again? Already? He wanted to follow his ally and bring her back into the ship, but he knew that once the female robot had made up her mind, the only way to stop her was by way of bodily force. He could never stand to harm her, and so he remained in his position, allowing his companion to obey her volition, her free will, to go out and perform the courageous act for the sake of her friends.

The slender boy sighed and leaned back against the wall behind him, his trepidation growing with every minute that passed without her presence. Soon, he heard desperate cries echoing down from the upper bridge level of the Elsa, and knew that it was his allies expressing their fear of the current dangerous situation. The ship shook violently from the external turbulence, and he silently hoped that Tony had good enough control to guide the craft and successfully land on Second Miltia, once they passed through the atmosphere. But despite the difficulty, whatever the outcome turned out to be, the effort that everyone had put into the journey wouldn't be in vain, for stopping Albedo's attack on the innocent planet made their journey worthwhile…

Although of course, the crew preferred to live after surpassing such a strenuous event.

All of a sudden, the lone teenager felt a strange surge of pain tighten in his chest, and a faint, but definite cry rang in his mind – KOS-MOS! She was hurting – he could feel it! And her vitality was slowly, but surely being drained; the android was strong, but even she wouldn't last much longer under the tremendous amount of pressure that she was currently enduring. Deep concern flooded within him at the thought of losing her and in response to his care, his hands immediately began to glow, warm and bright with power. He looked down at them with only mild surprise, for he had always known that he had a… special fondness for her, and so the protective reaction wasn't entirely unexpected.

_What will you do?_ Nephilim's soft, sweet voice echoed questioningly in his mind, and it made him recall their last conversation.

When he was first alerted of the damage to the Elsa and the danger everyone was in, he had considered using his powers, but hesitated because of his unknown limitations. How ironic that all it took for him to make up his mind was the sight of KOS-MOS heading out into space to willingly become a martyr for everyone, while he was safe inside, fully capable of helping. However, his previous indecision wasn't due to selfishness; every time he used his abilities, it depleted his overall potential, and he couldn't have his powers exhausted too much, for one day, when that prophesized crucial instance came… Well, if the messenger couldn't serve out his purpose, then his existence would be meaningless, and he didn't want to be the cause of so many preventable deaths.

But despite the nagging of his conscience, it didn't lessen her importance to him and his mental, rhetorical reply was swift and firm; _I'll protect her._

His eyes closed as mystical power began to gather together, forming an orb of light in his hands, but the time for preparation was limited - he could feel her life force dimming. He continued to charge the spiritual entity as long as he could, and when he sensed the arrival of the critical moment, he released his power in a burst of energy. Immediately, his body briefly convulsed from the impacting force and he fell back, fortunately steadied by the wall behind him, but his present concerns didn't lie in his own well-being. The results of his action weren't directly viewable to him, but when a slight strain struck his nerves just then, the aftermath evidence of his effort, he knew that his attempt had been successfully executed.

He stayed grounded in the same spot for a bit to recover, and after his strength returned, the silver-haired boy opened his eyes and straightened himself up. His gaze was intensely set on the hatch as he anxiously awaited the return of his favored ally; even with his assistance, he wasn't entirely sure whether or not he had saved her. The ship shook slightly, but then it began to fly smoothly, so he knew that everyone was safe, thanks to the courageous, selfless protection from the brave battle android. And thankfully for the secrecy of his mission, none of the crew would know that he had extended his powers to give her a little help, since he definitely didn't plan on telling them.

He didn't know how much time had passed before the hatch finally opened, but when he caught a glimpse of bright blue hair, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Minutes later, his ally stepped into view and he was pleased with her arrival, but at the same time, the sight of her disheveled appearance ignited his concern. Her white headgear was absent and several areas of her armor were chipped, stripped of its former glamour, and yet somehow, in spite of all that, she still stood tall and proud. Stoic red eyes met his gaze when the female robot came close enough and halted in her tracks before him, and the two looked at each other for a long, silent moment.

Initiating movement, the humanoid boy took a step toward her and asked softly, "Are you all right, KOS-MOS?"

"I am adequately functional, chaos," came her calm reply, and then she informed him, "External damage received was 43.1895 percent."

So almost half of her vitality had been depleted – he fervently hoped that her creators, the Vector engineers onboard, would be able to repair her damages. "Well, it's good to see you back. Everyone is worried about you."

She merely blinked, seeming as though she either didn't feel that a response was necessary, or perhaps she was unsure of what to say. But knowing KOS-MOS, it was most likely the former.

Nevertheless, chaos smiled faintly, warmth clearly evident in his eyes as he studied her keenly, the beautiful android that had compelled him to use his powers for her. Protecting KOS-MOS had only used up a portion of his abilities, but even with a rather small diminish, his maximum capacity was now altered, and could possibly affect his future task. He had been sent to the human world many years ago with an important purpose, and he didn't know how much power he would need to fulfill his duty. Mild apprehension tingled in nerves at the thought, but his adamant certainty of his decision was greater, and so he felt no regret - after all, the future needed her… and _he_ needed her.

"chaos."

Brought out of his musing, he averted his attention back to her, "Yes?"

"Your facial expression is showing anxiety," she stated matter-of-factly, "That accompanied with your silence, I have reached the conclusion that something is troubling you."

He caught a flicker of emotion in her usually cool tone; was she… concerned about him? That possibility was reassuring, but he could only reply vaguely, "Well, there is, but the…issue…will be resolved in time. I'll just have to be patient. …But thank you for asking."

"You are welcome." The android returned, and then she glanced down the walkway, remarking, "We should escalate up to the bridge now. Prolonging our return has a high probability of increasing everyone's level of apprehension."

chaos was perfectly content just staying there with her, but she brought up a good point; after all, he himself had felt worried while he waited for her to come back into the ship. KOS-MOS' maintainers, especially her 'mother' in particular, would surely be feeling frantic by now, with how much time had passed since the female robot first left. Nodding his agreement, the platinum-haired boy turned toward the corridor and began heading in that direction, the crisp click of his companion's boots echoing in his ears. Just as the pair reached the small elevator, he felt a hand rest onto his shoulder and he slowed to a stop, inwardly wondering why the android had suddenly decided to halt.

"Is something wrong?" he inquired softly as he turned his head back slightly to glance her way.

"Negative. I merely intend to express my gratitude."

He was surprised at hearing that kind of answer come from her, so he fully rotated around to face KOS-MOS, and his movement caused her to retract her hand; he quickly discovered that he missed her presence there.

Once she had his attention, the dark-haired android told him, "Thank you, chaos."

"For what…?" he wanted to clarify; could she possibly know that he had used his powers to protect her?

She didn't answer him verbally, but she gave him a meaningful look and then after blinking once, turned her head to look down the walkway, her line of sight focused on the elevator. He realized that she was back to her normal self and felt a twinge of forlorn loss, but at the same time, the knowledge that she somehow… knew he had helped her, was very reassuring. He didn't understand how she could have known of his recent assistance, but maybe she had sensed his presence out there just as he had felt her pain in his heart. Comforted by that thought, chaos smiled at KOS-MOS, but his happy gesture faded when he saw that she was walking forward, heading for the small lift that would bring them back to bridge, and the others.

"Wait!" He called out before she stepped inside, and remembering that she hadn't stopped the last time he protested, he reached over and took a hold of her arm.

The android obliged and turned around, still held in his grasp; her eyes surveyed him as she inquired calmly, "Do you need assistance?"

Now that their friends and the Elsa were safe, the ship would soon land on Second Miltia, where the Vector chief engineer planned to turn KOS-MOS over to her superiors. Who knew if he would ever see her again after that – although he had a distinct premonition that they wouldn't be separated for long – and he was already beginning to miss her. But before she left, he wanted her to know of his feelings, and suddenly overwhelmed by that need, his instincts guided him forward, quickly closing the space between them. His eyes closed of their own accord as his lips found her mouth and pressed gently; chaos had never experienced a kiss before, but picked it up from humans as a show of affection.

KOS-MOS was surprised by his action, but she made no move to disengage or pull back, not even when both of his hands slid up her arms and settled on her shoulders. His grasp wasn't tight, but still secure and firm nonetheless, and she noticed that his eyes were closed, though she couldn't reason why; yet, despite the unfamiliarity, she allowed her partner to lead. Her systems were working fervently, trying to analyze the simple embrace, but the intelligent robot overwrote them with her own command, deeming it unnecessary in the current situation. This form of intimate, physical contact… it was obviously foreign to her, but strangely, it caused warmth to stir deep within her, something she had never felt before, and that confused her.

Presently, her defense mechanism was telling her to move away from the odd unknown, but she didn't obey, for there lacked evidence in her data bank that could recall an event when chaos had ever harmed his friends. There was no reason to feel threatened by him, and so she trusted his judgment and his decisions… trusted him, and when a sudden impulse persuaded her to close her eyes, she did, despite not understanding purpose of that action. His hands, still on her shoulders, felt very warm and… comfortable, and KOS-MOS silently wondered why her senses were so acutely aware of his presence. Her companion roused such strange sensations in her, but instead of responding to the bewilderment with displeasure and frustration, she was actually curious about the cause behind him.

After some time, chaos pulled back, albeit reluctantly, but his immediate first thought was to apologize, for he had surely taken the android by surprise with the unexpected gesture. He was never one for many words, but to spring an unfamiliar action on her was unfair on his part; fearful worry inhabited his expression as he uttered, "KOS-MOS, I'm sorry. I… I didn't mean to shock you."

When she opened her eyes, he was astonished at the sight – instead of their usual crimson shade, her irises were currently blue… sharp, brilliant blue, just like the tint of her hair. As he gazed into her twin depths, he was drawn in by the rare sight of emotion lingering in them, and KOS-MOS held her companion spellbound for a few moments, but thankfully, she didn't seem fazed by his reaction or the silence. She merely looked back at him with equal astonishment as she continued to wonder why he evoked such strange reactions from her, and perhaps it was a malfunction in her systems, but if so, it wasn't causing any other effects. In fact, the foreign sensations were bringing about a certain sense of fulfillment, and so as the two shared a serene, spiritual bond, she marveled at and relished in the exotic feelings. Perhaps over time, she would learn more about them.

Finally, she broke the silence by replying to his earlier apology, "It is all right, chaos. I understand that physical contact is necessary to show human emotion."

His eyes widened slightly at her willing acceptance, but then a gentle smile graced his lips and he nodded; it amazed him sometimes, how quickly she could adapt to new situations… He didn't know why her irises had suddenly changed colors, but during that instance, she seemed to be expressing… warmer, more compassionate and friendly traits, which were very much _human_ aspects. This mysterious new side of her gave him hope that someday, KOS-MOS could truly understand his feelings for her, and maybe… maybe by that time, she would return them. Kissing her had felt so pleasurable and it ignited a pleasant fire within him, and he wished to share one with her again, but he wanted her consent before it happened the next time. That special period between them, though too brief in his opinion, was significant and important to him.

The last thing chaos wanted was to ruin their precious moment, but he was sure that their friends were growing more and more worried, and so he quietly suggested, "Well… should we go back to the others now?"

At the reminder of their current situation at hand, KOS-MOS once again turned her gaze toward the elevator, and when she looked back at him, he saw that her eyes had returned to their usual red. "Affirmative. At this current time, there is a high probability that their tension level has increased by at least thirty-six percent."

He nodded slightly while internally feeling amused by the amazing accuracy of her programming, and then gestured at the small lift with his hand, "Let's not keep them waiting any longer, then."

She stepped into the contraption and he quickly followed, pushing the button on the panel before he took his place by her side. As they were escalated up, chaos glanced her way a couple times, silently musing over what had happened between them in the hanger. Her alter ego was sudden and mysterious, but it confirmed his earlier presumption: her real self was sleeping dormant within the host body, and one day, she would awaken. Whenever that occurred, then the test of their wills would begin, and he vowed to do all he could to support her along the way. Many trials were approaching, and it was only a matter of time before the prophesized events would come true…

But he and KOS-MOS… they were destined to be together, and through that union, they would bring great change to the world.

He was certain of it.

**The End**

**Author's Note: **Wow, look at this, another Xenosaga fic from me! Damn, how long has it been since I wrote my last one, a few months? Cough, cough… Heh, my absence was partially due to the fact that I didn't beat Xenosaga until recently, and thank goodness for the little plot holes at the end that I could attempt to fill. It's a real shame that Xenosaga II has a serious lack of chaos x KOS-MOS interaction, so I really hope that the third game will focus on them… Well anyway, thank you all for reading, and please leave a review to let me know what you think:)

**With love for my fans,**

**Tiger5913**


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